Friday, February 21, 2014

#5 Video

In this video, Dr. Parameswaran, a professor of journalism at Indiana University, discusses the effects of colorism on the lives of women and how it affects them emotionally.  Dr. Parameswaran focuses more on how women are treated based on the darkness of their skin color. She also talks about how younger women in their teenage years face more skin color discrimination than older women who have accomplished more in life. Dr. Parameswaran also brings to light that people with darker skin, who have received an education, face less discrimination than those who have not. When Dr. Parameswaran states that these educated women are less discriminated against means that they have a better chance to overcome their discrimination and can become more successful. For all of those who are discriminated, their self-esteem and confidence can be destroyed by being told, from an early age, that no one will ever marry them or not being picked to participate in school dances or other events purely because on their dark skin. In the future, this can lead to more deterioration in their confidence and lower the success and happiness that they might have achieved if they were not discriminated against. 

I think it is cruel and unfair to be judged on your appearance especially something as simple as our skin color. There should be no reason to be discriminated against because one's skin is darker than others. I found this interview interesting and informative because Dr. Parameswaran was letting others know that colorism is present in all races with people with darker skin. Although colorism is the most present in the Asian and African countries, it is still relevant and an issue in many other areas around the world too. I also found this video informative, especially when the professor mentioned how young women are the target group to be affected by these beauty products to lighten their skin color so they will be more "beautiful" in the eyes of others. I found this video very interesting although I do not suffer from colorism but because I fall into the age group of those women who are especially being targeted by colorism. 

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n3sXZz2FeU 

Saturday, February 8, 2014

#4 The Effects of Colorism on Self-Esteem

As displayed in this video, a young woman discusses how colorism, in our society, has negatively effected the self-esteem of women and men. Many women and men who have felt like victims of colorism, say that it has destroyed their self-esteem and confidence in being a person with darker skin. In my opinion, I think this is ridiculous how discrimination against people with darker skin is still present in the twenty-first century. Of course I believe that discrimination and segregation between different races should have never occurred and I would have thought that society would have moved past this and grown to respect people of all races. Although colorism still exists in our society and media today, not everyone is prejudice or ignorant towards others and I do believe that we are and can progress in our beliefs and treatment of others. 


Sunday, February 2, 2014

#3 Video



This video captures one form of colorism in the black community. Singer and songwriter, India Arie discusses how she was scrutinized by her fans and the media for making it seem as if she lightened her skin color for an album cover. People were claiming that she was a hypocrite for not embracing her natural skin color and editing it to look lighter, which media claims is "better" than darker skin colors. In this interview, India sits down with Oprah and states that she did not lighten her skin for this picture, but she edited it to make her skin look golden. India is a prime example of someone who embraces her skin color and who she is.